A Princess's Legacy
by NeonDreams
Summary: It was a confusing mix of cultures—to be on a ship called the Waterbender that was run by Fire Nation men and women, journeying to the South Pole with the cargo of a waterbending Fire Nation princess. Rated T for safety. Zutara, Taang, Sukka.
1. A Night To Remember

**A. N.** Okay, this is the first real fanfiction I've posted here. It should be relatively easy to determine who the characters are, and where they are, but for some reason I didn't want to come right out and use their names. Hopefully this will intrigue you; R&R please! Questions, constructive crit, and comments are always appreciated, but please don't flame/bash/gloat, and respect other people's ships. Thanks for reading!

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A Princess's Legacy

Chapter One

A Night To Remember

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My mother told a different story every night, but one in particular stands out in my memory. A story of a fateful day for the Nothern Water Tribe, one she witnessed in person. My brother was learning to play Pai Sho from my great-uncle in the next room, and my parents and I were all sitting on the bed, watching the candle flames flicker.

"I was traveling with my brother and the Avatar - Aang," she began.

"Uncle Aang?" I asked, using the unofficial title for the family friend. I'd always loved Uncle Aang. He was still young at heart, and when he came to visit with my aunt he would always bring plenty of presents.

"Right," she confirmed with a small smile. "Uncle Aang.

"We were flying on Appa, his flying bison. We traveled all the way to the North Pole, so that Aang and I could learn waterbending from a real master."

"Weren't there any masters in the South Pole?" I'd taken frequent vacations to both poles to learn my heritage and see my family. There were plenty of talented waterbenders in my mother's birthplace.

"No, sweetie. There weren't." Her smile faded for a moment, and Dad put his arm around her shoulders. She sighed and continued.

"When we arrived, we were welcomed by the people of the North Pole. We attended a celebratory dinner, both for us and for Princess Yue's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue was the only daughter of the chief of the Northern Water Tribe. At sixteen, she had just become eligible for marriage. She was very beautiful, and she was the only person in the North Pole to have pure white hair." I looked at my own black locks in surprise and Dad laughed, a quiet sound that seemed to lift Mom's spirits.

Mom went on with the tale. "Yue caught Sokka's eye immediately, and the next day he followed her around, trying to get a chance to talk to her. When he finally made plans to see her, he fell into the water." She laughed at the memory. "Your uncle was always very awkward around beautiful girls back then."

"But not around Aunt Suki, right?" I asked.

"Not around Aunt Suki," she repeated. "Somehow they never had that problem. That doesn't mean that he's not the same bumbling idiot he was when we all lived together.

"The next night, when Sokka met with her, Princess Yue was very upset. She didn't seem happy, and she told Uncle Sokka that she shouldn't have asked him to meet her. She left, running off into the night."

"But why?"

Mom stroked my hair. "There were...complications. Princess Yue had been betrothed to a warrior from the Northern Tribe. She didn't love him, but she felt that it was her duty to marry him. She had responsibilities to her tribe, as her father's only daughter. Later she told Uncle Sokka that even though she wanted to be with him, she couldn't."

I was instantly sad both for the Princess and my uncle. "But didn't love find a way, Mom? Like in the story of Oma and Shu?"

"Sometimes it works out that way, honey, but this was during a war, when the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe were against each other. Maybe it could have been different..." she mused. After a moment, she continued.

"A very foolish Admiral named Zhao had decided to invade the tribe. Your uncle Iroh was on the ship, and advised Zhao to wait until dawn, when the firebenders would be at an advantage. Waterbenders draw power from the moon, but firebenders draw power from the sun." She exchanged a look with my father. "But Zhao told Iroh that he planned to remove the moon as a factor. When your great-uncle heard this, he immediately warned the admiral to leave the spirits be. Zhao did not take Iroh's warning seriously, but agreed to postpone the invasion.

"And so at dawn Zhao attacked and began breaking through the walls. Once he reached the Spirit Oasis, he revealed his plot." Mom paused and glanced at her husband. My father nodded, a slightly pained expression on his face. She kissed him quickly on the cheek before continuing.

"There were, and still are, two koi fish in the pool at the Spirit Oasis, the most spiritual place in the entire Northern Tribe. They are the ocean and moon spirits, Tui and La. Long ago they gave up their immortality to become part of our world. They are Yin and Yang, brightness and darkness, and they have created a balance that the world depends on. Zhao knew this, and he knew what could happen if he disturbed this balance. Your uncle tried to stop him, but in his ambitions, Admiral Zhao ignored logic and grabbed the moon spirit. He burned the koi fish. The Avatar was not there to stop him, and the sky turned red from the moon's light as the fish thrashed in pain."

My eyes were wide now, and my voice trembled as I asked what happened next. Another query burned deeper in my thoughts...Why hadn't Aang been there? But something told me that I shouldn't ask, and I listened to the rest of the story in silence.

"Your uncle Iroh went into a state of rage. Admiral Zhao had burned the moon spirit deeply, and suddenly there was no light in the sky at all. Iroh attacked the admiral for his crime and eventually only he, Uncle Sokka, Yue, and myself were left by the pond.

"Yue then told us why her hair was white. When she was born, she had been very sick. Her father had been told that she would not survive the illness. He and her mother pleaded with the moon spirit for help and set their baby in the pool. Her hair, at first dark, had turned white, and she had opened her eyes. The sickness was gone. The moon spirit had given some of its life to her.

"She told my brother that she needed to repay the debt. He refused to let her go, but she took her hand from his and placed both on the body of the fish. The life she had been given was taken back, and the moon spirit was alive again. But Yue was gone. She fell back into Sokka's arms, the life drained from her body, and then she disappeared."

I buried my face in her arms. My mom rubbed my back as the tale ended.

"Now she was the moon spirit. Her spirit appeared to Sokka. Yue told him that she would always be with him. Now she remains in the sky. She gives me my waterbending, and she gives you yours."

My head snapped to the open window to my right. Yue was full tonight. I could feel the strength pounding through me, enhancing my powers.

For the first time since the beginning of the story, Dad spoke. I loved his voice. When he would tell stories, the quiet, sandpaper sound could lull me to sleep. Thoughtfully he tucked a strand of the black hair I'd inherited from him behind my ear.

"But she gave you more than that. She gave you your name."


	2. Oh How I Miss My Penguins

**A. N.** Whew, I just barely finished in time. I'm going to leave for a short vacation today. I know this chapter's a bit rough, but I felt like I had a lot to say. I don't think I'll be able to post the next chapter until I get back (in about five days) but I'll have plenty of new material and I'll be online...I just won't get much posted.

Anyway, this should give a lot more insight on Yue's personality and her relationship with the Fire Nation and her family. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar; if I did then I wouldn't have thrown away 2.5 seasons of hints and evidence and foreshadowing in 10 minutes.

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A Princess's Legacy

Chapter Two

Oh How I Miss My Penguins

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It was only a few years ago that I learned what had happened after the war's end. My mother and the Avatar had been in a relationship at first. He made her feel like a kid again, but it only lasted a few months. Eventually they called it off and decided to just be friends. There hasn't been an awkward moment since, she says. They grew out of each other at exactly the same time, and never once has Aang or she had any regrets.

Zuko was engaged to be married to a Fire Nation girl named Mai, whom he'd been off and on with for a good portion of the war. He had thought he loved her at the time. Mom always reminded us that it was possible to love more than one person. But the engagement screeched to a stop. Even though the fighting had ended, a large percentage of the Fire Nation secretly sided with Azula and Ozai's beliefs. They had organized and hired an assassin to take out my father. A poison-tipped arrow had been aimed for his heart. But at the last moment, the assassin's finger slipped, and the arrow landed, with a loud thunk, in the side of Mai's throat. She had been gone before the servants had been able to notify the healers.

At a reunion on Ember Island, Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki had proudly announced their engagement. Joy and laughter had been everywhere. But Dad had been sitting on the fringe, keeping to himself, cut off. After everything that they had gone through, it seemed like he was still the least valued member of the group. My mom had joined him.

"I thought back to all of the times we'd fought against each other...I thought about the times when we had fought side by side...And I realized that he had understood me when no one else had. It just clicked." My mother had recounted the story a thousand times. Around the fire they revived their old bond.

When my mother and others visited him in the Fire Nation as a friend, Katara asked him why he had leaped in from of him during the last battle. They talked of their mothers and their families and what they wanted to do in the world. They grew closer.

When she returned as an ambassador from her Tribe, they grew closer still.

When she left home again, having no excuse left for her father or brother, or even herself, he asked her to stay. She said yes.

Aunt Suki told me that her husband fainted when he heard the news.

I was their second born. My brother, Miro, was first. He will take the throne. Even if the order was reversed, I know what the people want. A male firebender, with their skin and their eyes. Not a female waterbender, who took after her mother with a darker complexion and ice blue irises. But I don't wish to rule. It would pin me down. I would be separated forever from my other half.

My great-grandfather Pakku, ancient but still able to teach, began at the age of nine to invite me down to the South Pole for training. The rest of the family would visit, too, but my father can't leave his country for more than two weeks. My brother Miro would want to return, too; eager to practice for what would be his someday. I'd stay with my mother, though, and my skills grew. I became attached to my family and friends in the South and looked forward to the visits. I always felt like I belonged - like someone had reserved a place for me, a pocket that I could fill and call home.

Not that my parents hadn't tried to do the same in the Fire Nation. I had been born in the Water Tribe, because my mother felt that at least one of her children should have the opportunity to claim that right. She called the Southern Tribe "my dark side". I didn't understand what she meant until I heard the story behind my name. The dark side of the moon is a mystery. No one knows what it looks like, because we always see the same side. The people of the Fire Nation didn't know that part of my heritage. It was a mystery to them.

But Mom worked hard to change that, from the day of my birth. She had a museum built for the other three nations. Over half was dedicated to the Northern and Southern Water Tribes. People flocked to the building, but even so, many Fire Nation schoolteachers conveniently overlooked anything related to other cultures. She wouldn't give up. Of course not. She was Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, master waterbender and Fire Lady.

She began at the Fire Nation Royal Academy For Girls, where I attend now. She thought that young women, especially, should be more open-minded. Marching up the shiny marble steps, through the intimidating wooden door, and past the shocked faces of students and teachers alike, she wouldn't rest until the headmistress had gotten more than her fair share of the Fire Lady's mind.

My father supported her actions - he always does. Eventually it became necessary for an official order to go out to all schools, public and private. The customs and people of the other nations - including the Air Nomads, even though their numbers had dwindled to one - were required subjects for all students in the Fire Nation. The other nations followed suit.

Finally, the Fire Nation was a culturally diverse country, the perfect place for me to grow up.

It's almost time for me to visit Pakku and everyone else down at the South Pole again. Mom can't come with me this year. Her excuses are innumerable: she has to help Dad with some legal stuff; she wants to go visit Uncle Aang and Aunt Toph where they're staying in the Earth Kingdom; she's needed to spearhead a project focused on refurbishing the Western Air Temple; one of her best friends is heavily pregnant and she wants to be present for the birth. I'm getting the feeling that she filled her schedule on purpose. She's remembering her adventure days, when _she_ was fourteen. When she started making a name for herself. She wants me to have an adventure. I was just pondering this as I hid behind a statue of Avatar Roku and his wife. It was almost safe now.

No one walks into my school alone. Teen girls clad in red and gold file into the monstrous building in pairs and small groups, talking about...well, I wouldn't know what girls talk about anymore. I was "out" by the age of seven.

Kalora Lon, the most popular girl in my age group, has an entourage of about twenty schoolgirls, all bustling around her asking questions and fawning over her. She lets everyone know what she thinks, but I'm the only one she ever goes out of her way to be mean to. She's outrageously beautiful, _and _she happens to be my second cousin once removed or something. So of course she never fails to giggle to her friends about what a poor excuse for a princess I am, or how she can't believe that we're even on the same family tree; thank Agni it's by marriage!

Her herd is always the last in school; her pointy-toed shoe fell fell into the shadow of the doorway almost too late. I scrambled to pick up my book bag and ran two steps at a time to get indoors just as the gong sounded. Close, but worth it.

First class of the day for me is World History. I yanked out the correct supplies from my cramped bottom locker and shoved the rest into the tiny space, barely able to shut the door.

First things first: reciting the new post-war pledge.

_"I pledge to always remain faithful to my country_

_The Fire Lord Zuko_

_And his family."_

My ears never fail to burn at that last line; at least one girl always glances at me.

_"I pledge to commit my services to the Fire Nation_

_And do my best to keep the peace between the elements._

_I pledge my skills and my spirit to my country_

_And to the world."_

"Pop quiz!" shouted my teacher, Mrs. Kei Yon. I sat up straighter in my seat. Poor posture during a quiz would result in her firing at least twice as many questions at the student in question.

"What is the current Southern Water Tribe chief's name...Kata?"

Kata stood up, a tiny girl who always seemed to be bouncing. Rocking back and forth, she took her sweet time answering the question.

"Um...Is it...Wait, no...Lemme think...Ooh, I know! It's Chief... Sagoka, isn't it?"

Mrs. Kei Lan flicked her pointer stick on her desk. "No! Incorrect. Next question..." Her gold eyes swiveled to meet my blue ones.

"Yue!" she snapped. She was always harsher with me than the others, because it was really my fault that she couldn't have us recite the Fire Lords all day long.

"Which pole was the water Avatar Soran Ko from originally?"

I managed to take this in before Mrs. Kei Yon could yell at me. "Soran Ko was from the North Pole..." I'd probably be scolded for what I was about to say, but I wanted to contribute _something_. "But both of his parents had been born and raised in the Southern Tribe."

Mrs. Kei Yon released a sound that can only be describe as a squawk.

"Was that in yesterday's lesson, Yue?"

"Well, no, Mrs. Kei Yan, but -"

"But _what_?" I could hear Kalora and her worshipers giggling behind me. I looked at the ground before I answered, speaking as fast as I could so no one could stop me.

"I learned some of Soran Ko's family tree when I visited my family in the South Pole last summer," I said. My voice was barely audible. " I wasn't quite clear on what you were asking, so I -"

"I will have none of this nonsense in my classroom!" erupted my teacher. I swear I could see the smoke spilling out of her ears. "We are learning only what is in the lesson plan I have taken from the approved texts. None of this...this...unapproved knowledge!"

I couldn't stop myself. "But -"

"But nothing!"

I could hear Kalora loud and clear. "Oh, poor Yue. Now she'll have to go back with the penguins and live in her igloo where she belongs!" Over half the class exploded in laughter. I continued to admire Mrs. Kei Yon's shoes and the scroll in front of me.

At lunch I sat alone. Well, except for Mr. Lin and Mrs. Kai, who were playing Pai Sho in the corner. I always ate in my classroom. Yes, _my_ classroom. It was the only place where I could learn waterbending. Pakku and the others from the South had given me countless scrolls to study, and the two tutors that were supposed to be teaching me were only moving targets when needed. The headmistress had given them both raises to observe waterbenders and teach me. It was a nice effort, but from Day One I'd told them that I could learn on my own.

Even though I had water, I didn't have the ocean, or snow, or ice, or anything I needed to really delve into the art. Still, I'd been learning in the redecorated storage closet ever since I'd started school here. The others girls learned firebending or other arts and made friends at lunch, but I'd never really been able to relate to anyone. Like my mind ran on a completely different track.

I sighed as the final bell rang, trying to cheer myself up. Kalora was right, after all. Only a week, then it's back to the penguins.

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**A. N.** Hopefully that wasn't too bland. I told you that I had a lot to say.


	3. A Difficult Negotiation

**A. N.** I'm finally back! Thanks for all the reviews. My mind juices are flowing and I'm ready to continue. As always, thanks for reading. This chapter may be a bit short, and it's definitely filler...But hopefully it's good filler. It's kind of nice sometimes to have a few chapters to get the feel of the story, you know?

Oh, and sorry for the confusing POV changes. Sometimes I need to show more than what Yue sees.

Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA. Why would I be here if I did? I mean, come on. This story would already be on the bookshelves worldwide and I'd be filthy stinking rich.

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A Princess's Legacy

Chapter Three

A Difficult Negotiation

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I burst through the doors of the palace, fighting back sobs. After the embarrassing scene at school, I wanted three things, and three things only.

First, I wanted to be homeschooled for the rest of my life.

Second, I wanted to freeze Miss Kalora Lon into a block of ice and put her on display in a museum.

And finally, I wanted to be part of a massive group hug down at the South Pole. Penguins included.

But I didn't get any of those things. I got an army full of servants, swarming around me like scarlet-garbed flies. They offered me food, drink, hankerchiefs, and transportation to everywhere from the royal library to the shadiest market. I soundlessly waved them off except for one.

"How can I be of assistance, Princess?" he said formally. He bowed and I blushed. No matter how many times I'd tried to convince them that the formality wasn't necessary...

I recognized him. I knew all of their names. Unlike my brother, I tried to treat the servants like they mattered.

"Bei," I asked him, motioning for him to stand, "where is my mom?"

"Her Highness, the Fire Lady Katara, is in her waterbending chamber. Two doors down from the spa." I should have guessed. Mom was always practicing.

"Thanks, Bei." I managed a shaky smile. As I started walking, I cast one last look behind me and sighed, knowing it wouldn't do any good. "Please just call me Yue."

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(Third person)

The waterbending chamber had been built as part of the new additions to the palace, which had begun at the war's end and were still under way now. A magnificent fountain rose from the center of the room, marble and sculpted to look like waves. Water flowed through flawless stone in such a design that made it appear as though an artificial river resided in the room. Large urns contained even more of the element. The entire room was blue - the walls, hangings, everything. Yue's mother was experimenting with ice, carving frosty scenes into a large block mounted against the wall next to her. She glanced up as the door swung forward and let her arms fall to her sides. A smile grew from her previous concentrated expression, but the powerful look of complete control didn't leave the master's eyes.

"How was your day?" Like most mothers, she wanted to hear that her daughter was a shining star, that she was surrounded by wonderful friends, and that she was a remarkable scholar. Instead, day after day, she listened to the heavily edited version and kept her smile pasted on. But today, there was no editing. Her daughter spilled years of carefully guarded secrets and ran into her mother's comforting embrace, tears staining Katara's silk robe.

"...And, Mom, the girls there have always been just horrible to me. I don't usually let it get to me, but today Kalora Lon and her minions insulted the Water Tribes and I couldn't take it...Mom, I'm sorry for keeping it from you...Mom, I don't want to go back tomorrow..."

As her cries became even more hysterical and desperate, Katara pulled back and wiped tears out of her daughter's glistening blue eyes. She stared deeply into them, and let out a long sigh.

"Yue, honey...I..." She stopped herself. The grin she'd worn so shortly before popped back on. She had an idea.

"We're not going to sit here and blubber in our misery, are we? No," she answered for them both, "we are not. Because we are proud Water Tribe women, and Water Tribe women know how to vent anger and frustration and turn it into strength. Get some water from that urn, Yue." She drew a substantial amount for herself and lunged forward with a grunt. Yue stared for a moment, and decided to see where she was going with this.

The princess found that, if she imagined Kalora's face on the wall in front of her, her aim improved tenfold and her ice daggers were twice as sharp.

A few minutes later the bending slid to a halt. The anger and sorrow and pain was all gone, but now they had problems.

Katara was furious, but she could think. That was what waterbending did for her when she was angry. It cleared her mind without wiping away her emotions.

The Fire Lady was angry for several reasons. After a few quick questions, it was clear. The Fire Nation Royal Academy For Girls had not done as she and her husband had instructed. They taught, yes, but they failed to press the significance of the other nations. She was angry with herself for not seeing how alone and unwanted her daughter felt. Since she had been enrolled in the Academy, not once had Yue brought a friend home from school. Never. And she was most definitely angry at the entirety of the Fire Nation for being so damn pigheaded.

Yue was scared and depressed. Her mind was as transparent as swamp water. She only wanted to be wanted. Yes, her family had always loved her, but she had a raw need for acceptance. The Fire Nation did not fully accept her. Tolerance and acceptance were different aspects entirely.

She was scared because she knew her mother. Katara was unpredictable and undefeatable. She was also afraid because she had kept so many important details from her parents, especially her mother. She did not lie, but anything that could rouse the dragon inside her mom was conveniently left out.

_Such as, oh, I don't know,_ she thought sarcastically, _the fact that I teach myself waterbending in an old broom cupboard, or that my teachers and classmates ignore my culture? And let's not forget the way the other girls treat me, like I'm sort of freak at a circus?  
_

"Yue, I can't believe how you could stand this for so long," said Katara when her daughter had finished her explanation, somewhat less hysterically.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"_Sorry?_ You shouldn't be sorry, Yue, you should be -" Her mother sighed for the upteenth time. "Yue, you are named for a princess who was so very connected with her Tribe. The first Princess Yue may have been mild and sweet and innocent, but when her home was threatened, she was not."

Yue lifted her head.

"Darling, I think it's time you recognized the fire in water, and vice versa. Even if you were not half Fire Nation, the girl inside you is more feisty and headstrong than anything else. You were once connected to that part of yourself, but I'm afraid that you have lost it." She hugged her daughter tightly.

"You need to rediscover yourself, dear, and that means an early visit to the South Pole."

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(Yue's POV, present-tense)

Dinner was always a happy affair for my family. Tonight it is quiet. Great-uncle Iroh, for once, doesn't make his usual round of punny tea jokes. Dad stares blankly into the table and wolfs down his dinner. Mom doesn't touch hers. Miro tugs on my sleeve, complaining about how it's my fault that everyone's so tense. Even though he's older, he acts like a whiny toddler. Finally my father, the Firelord, glances up and meets my eyes. He lets out a deep sigh and lifts his elbows onto the table.

"Yue, why do you want to be rid of us so badly?" His tone is blunt, but I can tell that he's hurt. Dad has always been closer to Miro, and the same goes for my mother and me. But that doesn't mean that I still don't love him. While he likes to visit the South Pole (in moderation), and the people there have, for the most part, forgiven him for his part in the war...he doesn't want me going by myself. And he doesn't like my eagerness to leave the Fire Nation behind.

I want to reply, but Uncle Iroh cuts me off. In his gravelly voice he answers for me.

"Zuko, your daughter is confused. She has been cut and bruised by this country and needs time to heal." My eyes fill with tears and I thank my great-uncle with one look. I have always been so fond of him.

"Your uncle is right, my love," says my mom. Her hand is placed over Dad's, and she gazes at him with affection and understanding. "Yue needs to spend time in the Water Tribe. It's where she needs to be now, and this time she needs to be there alone." She kisses my father quickly and leaves her dark hand on his cheek stroking the skin just below his scar. Miro makes a gagging noize and is instantly silenced as Uncle Iroh glares, steam pouring from his ears. My spoiled brother cowers in his seat and the ancient Dragon of the West grins at me before turning to a servant, asking for more jasmine tea.

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**A. N.** Yes, Yue's snarky little thought was a reference to Ty Lee. ) Those of you who have watched AVidZktjo's Zutara videos (check them out on LiveVideo, they're great) will know why I value that phrase so much.

By the way, I don't mind Ty Lee. After watching The Beach I actually started liking her. So I was not bashing, just a ref.

Please tell me what I did wrong in this chapter, I have a feeling that I messed something up, big time.

**EDIT:** After a review on this chapter it came to my attention that I'd contradicted myself. ;D Thanks for spotting that, it should be fixed now.

**ANOTHER EDIT:** I now have a Ty Lee post-war fanfiction up called Service, Sans Smile. If you were interested in what happens to Ty Lee and Suki back on Kyoshi Island, I suggest you check it out. -end shameless advertising-


	4. Uncle Iroh's Always Right

**A. N.** Well, this was definitely more challenging than I assumed it would be. But I spent a lot of time on it and hopefully you like it. Please R&R! I'm quite anxious to know how well I did. This was probably my favorite chapter to write so far.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. And if I told you that I did, would you even believe me?

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A Princess's Legacy

Chapter Four

Uncle Iroh's Always Right

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"My dear, it's almost time to leave for the shipyards. It will be like this when you come back," said Iroh gently. I was lying on my back, gazing up at the canopy of my bed. Before I made my own decisions my parents had argued over everything involving me and colors, such as whether or not I should wear crimson gowns, hair accessories, and shoes like normal Fire Nation children. My mother was at open war with the royal tailor when he insisted on disobeying her orders for an ice blue party dress. But the largest disagreement was over the subject of my nursery's color scheme. After consultations with the royal decorator, my room had been painted pale blue and pink. It was a compromise that I had been advised to continue once I was in charge of such matters. The walls were a deep turquoise, as were the sheets and pillows. Rich mahogany wood accents and scarlet décor held the balance.

I knew my great-uncle was right, of course. He was always right.

Sighing as I tore my eyes from the translucent fabric above my head, it occurred to me that I shouldn't feel this way. There was no reason for the reluctance about leaving this country. I'd been discriminated against despite my royal status, and I would soon be departing for my beloved South Pole, where I was accepted everywhere, not just inside my own (spacious) walls.

I stood slowly, ran dark fingers through my hair, and lifted my cerulean purse onto my shoulder. A bright smile slowly spread onto my face, and as I took my beloved uncle's arm, I didn't look back after I had blown out the last of the cinnamon-scented candles.

Iroh led me slowly down the velvet-covered stairs, all the while declaring how much he would miss me, his favorite.

"And to think, I'll have to let_ Miro_ beat me tonight!" he exclaimed, shaken by this scandalous thought. Though he'd been fair to both of his "grandchildren", as he incorrectly and persistently called us, by teaching them his favorite game, he'd let me in on more secrets than my older brother. And I was still worse than Uncle Sokka.

We reached the bottom of the elegant staircase. There were my bags, packed for three months of adventure. My parents and―looking thoroughly as if he wished he was somewhere else―Miro were waiting for me at the gigantic front doors. My dad looked as if he was having second thoughts about giving me his permission. Mom's eyes were glistening, but not with tears, as I had expected. She was bursting with pride. I simply ignored my brother. He may have been almost sixteen and the future of the Fire Nation, but he was still an immature jerk.

"Yue," said my father, the words coming out half-choked, "if you decide that you want to cut the trip short, just send a messenger—"

He'd cut himself off, looking worried.

"Wait! Katara, _please_ tell me there are messenger hawks in the South Pole. Didn't your brother buy some?" My mother nodded, rolling her eyes at her husband's overreaction. She hooked a slender arm around his waist and _shh_ed quietly until his last-minute worries ceased.

Turning to me, she smiled brilliantly. Kissing me on the forehead, she murmured a line from an ancient lullaby she'd sung for me when I was an infant, and then spoke so that the others could hear. But just barely.

"You'll find yourself there, honey. I know it. You are a Water Tribe woman, just like me. And Water Tribe women do only one thing better than venting anger. Water Tribe women are experts at finding their true destiny and pursuing it. Pursue your destiny, Yue. Follow the moon."

After a lasting moment of peaceful silence, the guards marched in and lifted my bags, the doors opening. Blinding light shined into my eyes, and I squinted against it. But I appreciated the warmth and glow the summer sun gave me. It would be a while before I felt overheated again. I savored the sensation, tasting the humid air and catching a last glimpse of the palace before I followed my belongings out the door, my family close behind me.

The palanquin bearers were waiting for us. My mother and my father were placed in one, and Miro and I got another. Iroh, luckily for the men carrying the litter, had a third all to himself. Miro simply stared through the expensive hangings out at the city, paying no attention to me. I sighed. We had never been close. My brother and I were complete opposites. He was passionate and irrational; I was calm and practical. He chose to spend all his time flirting with girls from my school. All of his girlfriends were shallow but pretty upperclassmen of mine who ignored me with stuck-up airs as though I was an ugly stain on the walls instead of a member of the royal family. Thankfully, they never lasted long enough to require conversation.

He firebended frequently, whenever there was a cute girl walking by. He told me that I was too quiet. Miro always tried to make me loosen up, either by introducing me to his friends (all jerks) or older versions of Kalora. He was the only one who had known the entire story about my school, until the day earlier. After it was apparent that my social life wasn't going to improve, he'd given up. Instead he openly insulted me.

"Hey, _princess_," he sneered, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What is it, _prince_?" I retorted, but I should've known better. Every mention of his title only pumped more hot air into his stupid head.

"Well, _princess_, I just wanted to remind you that you don't even have to come back. You obviously like Mom's family more than you like it here. We all know it's only a matter of time until you build an igloo of your own and move." I wasn't usually this easily riled, but if Miro kept bringing Pakku and Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki and the others into this, then...well, I didn't want to think about it. I concentrated on breathing easily. It didn't help, though, that the humid air was so wet I could taste the salty air wafting in from port.

"Stop it, Miro. Our family in the South is wonderful. And I love Uncle Iroh as much as I love them. I just...just..."

"Just _what_, princess?" He folded his arms across his chest. "I'll bet you haven't even thought about Dad. You're turning your back on him." Not like he cared all that much, but he knew that it would cut me deep.

It didn't fail.

We were almost to the coast by now. I could feel the motion of the tides; in, out, in, out. I inhaled sharply and pulled a long whip from the moist air, slapping my brother in the face. I knew that there would be a red tinge on my cheeks by now, and that my hair was coming loose. I didn't care.

"You, Miro, are the most selfish jerk the Fire Nation has ever had the misfortune of calling their prince. Don't you know how much Aunt Suki misses you? And what about our cousins? You and Kiro and Koda were such great friends, and then you just stopped caring! Not to mention everyone else! They loved you, Miro! You have no idea how much they want you to be part of the family in the South. Even Dad is welcome there. But you...! You...And...It's...Ugh!"

I was breathing hard. I could hear Mom and Dad's silence in the litter in front of us, and Iroh, for once, wasn't chatting to the servants. It was deathly quiet except for the steps and controlled breaths of the palanquin bearers. No one spoke until we arrived at our destination. I didn't dare to glance at my brother's face until I knew he wasn't looking. His golden eyes, usually bright as polished gemstones, were shadowed. Teeth were clenched and his brows were bunched together. I gulped anxiously.

Either my brother was thinking of a way to kill me, or he was trying to force himself not to.

I boarded the ship with mixed feelings. Excitement; I hadn't seen Sokka and his family for two years, because they had been on Kyoshi Island during my last visit. Anticipation; how had things changed in the year I'd been gone? And a wave of guilt. The expression on my father's face was indescribable. I walked up the ramp without a single look back.

* * *

My quarters on the ship felt as empty as they looked. There was a bed, a candle holder, and a wardrobe. However, it was all of the highest quality. The bed was lavishly made up with half a dozen plump pillows strewn on the surface. The wardrobe was polished, gleaming mahogany. Even the candle holder was ornate, decorated with brass dragons. But it was all red, nothing like my carefully compromised room at home. The servants shuffled in with my small suitcases, set them down on the dark wood floor.

The one nearest me flashed a dazzling smile my way.

"Will that be all, m'lady?" He was really quite handsome, but I was overwhelmed by the impression that he knew it, too.

"Yes, that's all. Thank you," I said, walking over to the door and showing them out. "And you can just call me Yue, if you don't mind." The good-looking one took his time walking out, casting one last glance my way. I tried to return his grin while letting him know that I was only being polite.

I sat down on the bed, sinking a few inches into the soft duvet. As a surprising wave of exhaustion overwhelmed me. After a few minutes I could feel the boat setting loose. A male voice spoke over the intercom.

"_The _Waterbender_ has set sail, gentlemen. Dinner will be served in a few hours; the menu for this evening is steamed rice and grilled chickenpig breast, with mixed vegetables and assorted desserts. There is no entertainment toinight, but tomorrow is music night. Anyone with sufficient musical talent is encouraged to participate._" The static was cut off a few seconds later.

Sighing, I rose from the comfortable bed and began unpacking.


	5. How Good Am I?

**A. N.** Well, here it is. After such a long wait and a whole lot of writing/re-reading/comparing/scrapping on my part, I present to you the fifth chapter of A Princess's Legacy. I'm doing my best here, and even though it could be a lot better, hopefully it's at least satisfactory. I apologize for the shortness.

Disclaimer: Um, hello? Obsessed Zutarian here! Obviously, I don't own Avatar.

* * *

A Princess's Legacy

Chapter Five

How Good Am I?

* * *

A servant knocked on my door. "Princess?" he called through the wood. "It's nearly time for dinner. We will wait for you." Before I could respond with a coherent thought, the sound of his heavy boots was almost too far away to hear.

_We will wait for you_, he had said. Ugh. I was so sick of being treated like I was so many times better than everyone. The girls at school had taken years to express their hatred of me, fearing that I would tattle. But each tentative insult sent my way to test the waters had been ignored, left to burn through my skin, and soon it was open season on the waterbending princess.

Opening the almost obnoxiously decorated wardrobe, I looked through my clothes. I'd packed only one other Fire Nation ensemble, having aways preferred blue when traveling to the South. Sweeping my parkas to the side, I extracted what I was looking for.

It was almost black in color, so dark was the red. A thick but lightweight black belt, a treasured gift from Aunt Toph, was cinched around the waist. Brighter leggings and a pair of gold bangles were contained in a small cloth sack closed with a drawstring.

I sighed, though, whenever I inspected it. This outfit was Fire Nation. And I wasn't all Fire Nation. I laid the dress on my bed, staring at it with sad eyes. Then, an idea struck me. Yanking my favorite Water Tribe garments off the rack, I sifted through the pockets in my lightest parka. There!

Two heavy blue beads with the sign of Yin and Yang, Tui and La, Ran and Shao, were in my hand. I was grinning uncontrollably. As I pulled the "up" portion of my hair out of its topknot I felt a bit uneasy about donning the beads. The hairpiece was a symbol of my royal status.

But the beads represented my namesake and the Water Tribes. Breathing deeply as if I was about to bend, I started braiding.

* * *

The dining hall was enormous. About fifty people were seated on wooden benches, licking their lips and staring at the meal the cooks had prepared. The food that had grown cold while they waited for me. They all stood when I entered the room, almost in unison. Despite the pep talk I'd given myself before leaving the room, I felt myself blushing and staring at the practical flats I'd worn. Urging myself to walk forward, I zeroed in on the single empty seat—at the head of the table. I gulped. Great. Fifty men (well, there were a few females scattered here and there, but it was mostly guys) staring at me—and the foreign beads in my hair—for at least an hour.

The captain was sitting to my right, ogling my hair as if it was alive. On my left sat his second-in-command, who was, thankfully, not of the opposite sex. She was looking into my eyes, her expression thoughtful, the hint of a triumphant grin twitching in the corner of her mouth. I cleared my throat and shakily introduced myself.

"Um, hi," I said, trying not to mumble, "I'm Yue."

She laughed exuberantly. "Well, of course I know who you are, your highness," she replied, still chortling. "Welcome aboard. I'm Jiang Lin." I nodded and shook her hand, her firm grip overwhelming me for a moment.

"It's nice to meet you."

Jiang Lin's laughter, which had faded into soft chuckles, erupted again. "I could say the same," she joked, taking a swig from her glass. When she was drinking, I took a more critical look at the officer. She looked about in her late twenties, with black hair like my father's. Her skin was even darker than mine, turned golden brown by the sun. She had an open face and otherwise plain features, but eyes that sparkled like stars. She was beautiful in a natural sort of way. More than one man was staring in her direction.

"Say," she asked, gesturing at my braids, "those wouldn't be Water Tribe beads, now?"

I stiffened for a second, and then relaxed again. Her question wasn't judgmental or grudging, it was simply curious.

"Mm-hmm."

"Awfully pretty, those." She gazed at the blue stone with admiration.

"My mother gave them to me. She said the first Yue wore a pair just like them."

Jiang Lin seemed enchanted, but I wasn't quite sure why. I mean, they were only beads. "Fascinating. May I...?"

Untying the black ribbon on my left braid, I worked with my thick hair until I could slip off the ornament. It was wider than my thumb, and just as long. I held out my hand, palm up, offering it to her. She snapped it up instantly.

"So well-crafted," she murmured, turning it over in her hand. After a full minute, she handed it back.

"That's a beauty you've got there, princess. I hope this isn't too prying—but why are you wearing those, and not your hairpiece? This is a Fire Nation ship, after all." Her voice sounded mechanical, like it was something she was repeating.

"Well, I'm not all Fire Nation, am I?" It was a confusing mix of cultures—to be on a ship called the _Waterbender _that was run by Fire Nation men and women, journeying to the South Pole with the cargo of a waterbending Fire Nation princess.

"Of course not, m'lady." The lieutenant looked like she wanted to say more, but she kept her mouth shut and let me talk.

"Yes, I'm the princess of the Fire Nation, but my mother isn't, and I'm a _water_bender. Not to mention the fact that I won't even take the throne, that's for my brother. And I am in traditional—" I stared at the Earth Kingdom inspired belt and corrected myself "—or at least acceptable Fire Nation clothing. So why can't I show my other heritage in this way?"

Jiang Lin was beaming triumphantly. She whipped her head around to glare at someone behind her, squinting, with a challenge apparent in her eyes. I didn't get it. What was going on?

"I think," she said sneakily after turning back to me, "that you can show it in another way." She saw my surprised look and leaned in to clarify.

"Princess," she said, grinning from ear to ear, "exactly how good of a waterbender are you?"

* * *

_I was standing on an iceberg, which was barely large enough for me to balance on. _

_"Agh!" I cried. My feet were bare. The ice felt rough and razor-sharp, not to mention unbearably cold._

_The waves came harder and faster. I gasped when the water sloshed over the ice. It burned...why? It was melting the edges of my iceberg._

_Searching for something that made sense, my eyes landed on a white dot far away. What had my mom told me? Follow the moon._

_A freezing wind came up. It blew my hair around._

_Agni, my hair was white!  
_

* * *

The following day there was much to do. First, Jiang Lin had to get her band together.

"It's all girls," she said, "except for one. But he's definitely not a man at heart. Now you just need to focus on practicing, princess, and we'll be fine."

So I practiced, trying to forget my disturbing dream. Down in the galley there were barrels and barrels and more barrels full of water, more than I'd had access to in school. And when it rained that afternoon and the deck was deserted, I didn't even need that.

After a few last-minute adjustments, we were ready.

"_Hello, all! This is your captain speaking. This evening we will be dining on...cook's choice? Ahem, yes. Cook's choice. So, uh, prepare to be surprised. After dinner we will have music night, as promised. So far we have three ensembles and two solos on the agenda. Dinner will commence in two hours._"

I opened my wardrobe and shoved my Fire Nation clothes to the side, out of sight. Tonight, I wouldn't need them.

* * *

**A. N.** Yes, I know. A cliffie. And it's pretty obvious what she's going to happen?

I'm so, so, so sorry for the shortness. I tried to put in more, but it just didn't seem right. I'll post the next chapter ASAP, I'm working on it right now! And sorry about the filler. Fillerfillerfiller, is that all I can write?

Anyway, I promise that you'll see the South Pole within the next...let's say...three chapters? Okay, the next chapter will probably be music night, and by the end of the next chapter they'll reach the South Pole, if it all goes well and I don't dawdle too much.


	6. On the Outside Looking In

**AN: **I'm sorry, so very sorry. My muse for Avatar (especially Zutara) has been nearly dead lately, and I finally managed to write something decent for this. Next update - I don't know. IT might come soon, might be a while.

Thank you very much for reading!

* * *

A Princess's Legacy

Chapter Six

On the Outside Looking In

* * *

I dipped my finger into the goop, glancing into the misshapen clay bowl and then up at my reflection. The polished bronze swallowed my face and made me feel even more invisible than normal. Turning over my shoulder, I rubbed my thumb and first finger together experimentally. "Are you sure this stuff is safe? It won't, you know, make me break out in oozing sores or anything?"

Xi shrugged and let her long hair brush the ground, the blood rushing to her head as she swayed in the hammock. "I don't know what exactly it's made from, but my sister—she's an actress, you know, got the lead role in Love Amongst the Dragons this year—uses it for stage stuff and whatnot. She's got perfect skin, and sometimes she doesn't even bother washing it off. It just sits there, smudges a little, and then it gets crusty and starts flaking off…"

"Okay, I think I get the picture," I said. She shrugged again and started doing sit-ups. I eyed her perfect abs and started wishing that I had borrowed something a bit less revealing. My costume was deep turquoise, with trailing, translucent sleeves that I nearly tripped on. My stomach was completely exposed, but thankfully the skirt ended (somewhat) modestly at my knees. On the flip side, the fabric dipped into a V at the neck, something I'd tried to ignore. That had been the perfect quick fix, but when I had to actually take it off Xi's rack and wear it in front of all those men…Agni, what was I doing?

The maroon face paint had also been Xi's idea. Jiang Lin had recruited her to play some sort of zither for her band. I was to dance around and waterbend in time with their music. I hoped I wouldn't run out of tricks during the performance.

I smudged the paint in interlocking swirls, framing my eyebrows and accentuating my high cheekbones. When that was done, Xi wordlessly handed me kohl to line my eyes. I jumped halfway out of my skin when I felt the stranger's warm hands on my back.

"You look gorgeous," she breathed in my ear.

* * *

I stood behind the curtain, swathed by dust, staring through a hole almost as large as my palm. My heart was jumping around like a startled rabbaroo, and I saw spots before my eyes. I took a deep, shuddering breath and tugged nervously on my dress. Behind me, I heard the sungi hornist end her warm up. Giving myself a firm shake, I turned on my bare heel and took my place in the shadows. As the ratty curtains parted, Jiang Lin looked over her shoulder and grinned. I mustered a weak smile in return.

The first song began quietly, a mournful melody that held so much sorrow I feared it would burst. Stepping into the crowd's view, I swayed with the beat. During the beginning of the first verse, when Jiang Lin began to sing, I called the water to me, weaving it through the air. After the first minute, the audience seemed to disappear. Even the music faded into the background except for the pulse, like the heartbeat of a frozen frog.

I was startled out of this trance when the first song ended, and the dining hall rang with applause. I noticed that the band members had tears spilling silently from their eyes. For the first time since I'd left home, I realized how much of an outsider I was. However hospitable Jiang Lin and her friends had been to me, we would be arriving the next evening. Was this song a lament for a lost parent or sibling? Or was it a tribute to a lover or close friend?

Thankfully, the next song was fast-paced. I became instantly engrossed in my waterbending, letting the liquid cool my limbs as I moved. The crowd finally seemed to have cut loose; the benches were hastily shoved back and dances of every persuasion were being attempted below. By the third song, most people had crashed on the floor, drunk and tired.

I walked hesitantly forward to the edge of the stage as our performance ended, the hoarse yells of the men and whoops of the women falling on my ears. With Jiang Lin on my left, and the rest of the band falling into place on my right, we took long bows until the cheers died faded away. Then the others grabbed their instruments and we made room for our successors.

"You gonna stay for the rest?" asked Jiang Lin. A man stumbling around grabbed her waist, grinning stupidly. I couldn't help giggling as she kicked him swiftly, sending him sprawling across the floor.

"I don't think so," I told her, now struggling to yell over the music. "I just want to get this thing off already."

She nodded and wriggled her way between two fully engaged couples, disappearing into the sea of bodies. Without lingering another moment, I squeezed my way to the door and walked quickly to my room, anxious to be alone and asleep.

* * *

**AN:** How was it? Better than the last chapters? Worse?

(I love reviews!)


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